Youngster from Turuvekere is BSY’s right-hand man

TNN | Jul 17, 2019, 04.47 AM IST

BENGALURU: Not very long ago, NR Santhosh’s job was mostly confined to ensuring his boss, state BJP president BS Yeddyurappa, took his medicines on time. Now, the youngster is right in the middle of the political action that has gripped the state, escorting rebel MLAs — who are crucial to the BJP coming to power — in chartered flights to Mumbai. The rise has been meteoric.

The 29-year-old from Turuvekere in Tumakuru district is Yeddyurappa’s Man Friday but is close to the BJP leader in more ways than one. He is Yeddyurappa’s nephew (sister-in-law’s son) and had replaced Kapu Siddalingaswami as Yeddyurappa’s personal assistant.

Siddalingaswami tried his hand in electoral politics by contesting against former chief minister Siddaramaiah on a KJP ticket (party floated by Yeddyurappa) from Varuna in 2013, but was unsuccessful.

BJP sources say Yeddyurappa has been instructed not to project or favour his sons BY Raghavendra, MP from Shivamogga, and BY Vijayendra, which is one of the reasons for Santhosh hogging the limelight of late.

“If an MLA needs to get an audience with Yeddyurappa, he first needs to go through Santhosh and make his case with the 29-year-old,” said one party leader.

In 2017, Santhosh was in news for the wrong reasons. He was arrested on charges of allegedly trying to kidnap Vinay NS, the personal assistant of another BJP leader KS Eshwarappa. The two have a running feud. The case is ongoing and Santhosh is currently out on bail.